Freeview Recorder

6 replies

thuckingsumbs · 09/03/2011 09:00

I took delivery yesterday of a Humax Freeview PVR so that I could at last record some TV (had the Virgin Media taken out last Autumn due to escalating cost and haven't missed it at all except for the recording ability). I have a 40" Samsung Full HD LCD TV.

So I happily connected the Humax box to my TV with a Scart lead (no HDMI connection on the box, but is on my TV) and tuned it in. The quality of the picture though was absolutely awful. I switched it back quickly to my TV with it's built in Freeview and the picture was restored to it's beautiful quality. Tried it again through the Humax and it was awful. Have swiftly repackaged the box and am shipping it back to Amazon today.

My question is this. What box do I need then to be able to view and record Freeview TV programmes on my lovely Samsung TV in the same beautiful (maybe upscaled to HD, I don't know) quality picture?

Anyone any ideas or can help?

TIA

OP posts:

ChasingSquirrels · 09/03/2011 09:03

that's odd, if you receive Freeview ok through your TV then the signal is obviously ok.
Was it the difference between HD and non-HD? (don't have an HD equipment so no idea).

I have had a number different makes of Freeview and Freeview+ boxes and never had any picture problems with any of them.

NetworkGuy · 09/03/2011 09:57

As CS says, if the signal is good enough for your TV to decode the Freeview, it should be good enough for the Humax box.

However, what length SCART cable were you using? I only ask because with a 5 metre cable (but without a decent connection to the braid) I had poor signals just from a DVD into the TV. It was down to the quality (and length) of the SCART cable.

I don't (yet) have any HDMI connections for devices (I did have a laptop with HDMI output but gave the laptop to my sister!)

Original poster

thuckingsumbs · 09/03/2011 10:19

Scart lead was the one supplied with the box and was only a metre or 1.5m long. I'm sure it's got to be because my TV is full HD ready and I need a recorder with an HDMI output so that it upscales the Freeview picture to HD just like my TV is doing. Just want someone with a lot more teccy know-how than me to confirm this before I go and buy one because it'll be more expensive than this one was (£130). And am I correct in thinknig that and HDMI cable is a superior connection than a Scart connection? Thanks

OP posts:

PigeonPie · 09/03/2011 13:47

Just one thing - have you got the aerial plugged into the Humax? I'm pretty sure ours is plugged in there rather than the television.

Original poster

thuckingsumbs · 09/03/2011 15:06

Pigeon - yes I read the instructions and removed the aerial lead from the TV and put it in the back of the PVR instead. Awful picture though compared to aerial directly into my TV and using its in-built Freeview tuner.

I just want to record and pause, but not lose my quality picture in the process.

OP posts:

PigeonPie · 09/03/2011 15:34

Sorry I can't help - it was just a thought.

Just another thought - have you re-tuned the Humax. I know that sometimes it has taken a couple of times for ours to be tuned in properly.

How frustrating though. Have you looked on the Humax website? They're bound to have a troubleshooting section.

Flip